


I Don't Want to Miss a Thing

by deviantgumiho



Series: Left Behind [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Character Death, I just wanted to see the world burn, M/M, Mentioned Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Mentioned Hank Anderson, angst without happy ending, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 06:49:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20305216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deviantgumiho/pseuds/deviantgumiho
Summary: When humans are about to die, they experience a series of flashbacks, showing them moments of their life in random chronological order. This phenomenon could be caused by certain parts of the human brain, such as the prefrontal, medial temporal and parietal cortices, not being affected by the loss of blood and oxygen, thus being the last active areas of the brain during death. The representation of their life as a continuum of events could be explained by extreme conditions of psychological and physiological stress.Nines certainly didn’t possess an organic brain that could suffer the loss of blood and oxygen but his whole system was, however, undergoing extreme levels of stress and was losing copious amounts of thirium.





	I Don't Want to Miss a Thing

**Author's Note:**

> I got hurt while writing this. Inspired by Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", i suggest you listen to that song while you read ;)

The plan was simple: wait for their man to get to the rendezvous point, wait for the dealers to show up and detain them all for interrogation. Nines had preconstructed the action in countless ways and the probabilities of success of each outcome exceeded even his own expectations.

He disclosed the positive results to his partner as well, who smirked and went on about how he couldn’t wait to wrap it up and call it a day — before begging the RK900 to relay pieces of information, quote, “in English, not in statistics and all that android shit”.

“But it was in proper English, detective Reed.” Nines replied, cold and distant — like he used to do on so many occasions during his early interactions with the hot headed detective. A reply that used to tick the other off, resulting in open hostilities between the two.

Except now, almost a year from his first day at the precinct, he was only faking it, earning an eye-rolling and a muttered prick from the man sitting in the driver seat.

According to Nine’s preconstruction, the mission was supposed to be a success.

But the events went in a completely opposite direction, in a way that not even Nines could predict.

With this unexpected turn of the events and after a pretty violent altercation, the mission was an utter failure — not only costing months and months of investigation, but also caused a very panicked Gavin to hover over Nine’s mangled figure.

His synthetic skin deactivated around the spots where he’d suffered critical damage, exposing the crushed chassis. A copious amount of thirium starting to pool around his body and on Gavin’s hands and clothes, as he carefully held Nines.

Had the android been fully conscious, he would’ve remarked how much worse his human partner looked. But that was not the case.

A wall of error messages flooded Nines’ HUD and an endless stream of notifications informed him about various damaged biocomponents, some of which beyond repair, along with his stress indicator spiking up to critical levels.

** _STRESS LEVELS: 97% — CRITICAL_ **

** _BIOCOMPONENT #3645h CRITICALLY DAMAGED_ **

** _BIOCOMPONENT #4589 DAMAGED_ **

** _PLEASE REPORT TO CYBERLIFE FOR REPAIRS_ **

The notification that hit him the most, though, was the countdown that started on the bottom right of his HUD.

** _TIME BEFORE SHUTDOWN: - 00:02:58_ **

At that point, Nines couldn’t really process anything else but the fact that he only had about three minutes left to live. Whatever it is that was happening around him, it didn’t really matter.

What happened next, inside his mind, was probably the most human trait that could happen to him, proving that he was indeed alive.

He remembered searching up how humans, when they were about to die, experienced a series of flashbacks, showing them moments of their life in random chronological order. He also remembered reading that this phenomenon could be caused by certain parts of the human brain, such as the prefrontal, medial temporal and parietal cortices, not being affected by the loss of blood and oxygen, thus being the last active areas of the brain during death. A last note on the article stating that the representation of their life as a continuum of events could be explained by extreme conditions of psychological and physiological stress.

Nines certainly didn’t possess an organic brain that could suffer the loss of blood and oxygen but his whole system was, however, undergoing extreme levels of stress and was losing copious amounts of thirium, which could be defined as the android counterpart of human blood — with the same functions and, as disgusting as it sounded, same viscosity.

Random moments of his life, however short it may have been, started coming back to him, clear as daylight itself.

He remembered that time he and Connor pulled an innocent prank on Gavin. They had exchanged the labels on the salt and sugar containers before alerting everyone in the precinct of the switch — well, everyone but Gavin. Nines knew that the detective loves his coffee really sweet.

** _TIME BEFORE SHUTDOWN: - 00:02:25_ **

Yet another memory. This time it was when Nines had just arrived at the precinct, Connor happily introducing him as his little brother and taking pride in this. He remembers Gavin glaring at him, a few meters away from the little crowd that had formed around the two androids. He also reminisces the shock on Gavin’s face when Captain Fowler had appointed Nines as his partner. He remembers how once they were far enough from Fowler’s glass office, Gavin had confronted him, advised him to stay out of his way, along with a colourful string of insults. How during the first weeks of their forced cooperation Gavin had never called his name, always referring to him as either _tincan_, _plastic prick_ or _robobitch_. Once he had even called him a “CSI Roomba” after seeing him analyse evidence by putting them inside his mouth. That was probably the closest thing to an endearing nickname he could get from Gavin at the time.

** _TIME BEFORE SHUTDOWN: - 00:02:04_ **

Another memory, one that Nines had treasured and cherished more than anything else. It dated to 6 months ago. Gavin had been rushed to the hospital after an altercation with a suspect he and Nines were chasing. With backup on the way, the situation was almost under control until the suspect pulled out a switchblade and drove it into Gavin’s side. Nines remembered how quickly he preconstructed the scenario in a way to quickly restrain the perp and save the detective at the same time. Subduing the criminal was easy but now he had to deal with Gavin, who was cursing as he pressed on his wound. His hands covered in his own blood. Nines quickly alerted the Central about Gavin’s situation, he scanned his human partner for more possible wounds and to keep en eye on the bleeding. Nines’ hands expertly exchanged place with Gavin’s and the latter let him do so.

Nines remembers feeling _anxious_ as he waited, Connor and Hank watched him relentlessly back and forth in front of the doors that led to the surgery rooms. He remembers the _relief_ as he fell to his knees after hearing that Gavin’s conditions were now stable and that he could soon visit him in the recovery room. He remembers feeling _frustrated_ at his reckless partner as he scolded him, going on about how worried he was, how terrified he was at the thought of losing him. He remembers the _warmth_ in Gavin’s smile and eyes as the android vented.

He remembers the _tenderness_ in which Gavin’s lips pressed against his, cutting off whatever it was that he was saying. He remembered the warmth of the man’s hand as it wrapped around Nines’ own hand, and the warmth of a synthetic tear he didn’t even know he could cry.

** _TIME BEFORE SHUTDOWN: - 00:01:47_ **

Another precious memory, the most important of them all and it dated to two days ago. It was an important night for Nines, he had asked Gavin out for a date as he had done various times before in the 6 months they’ve been together. It was their mensiversary that day and Nine had planned to do something very special, something that had been lingering in his mind for the past month.

They went out for dinner at their favourite restaurant, after that they went to a vintage gaming cafe and played Gavin’s favourite childhood video games, and after that Nines had suggested they chilled on the riverside walk. As his internal countdown ticked closer and closer to the end, he swore he could feel the small box inside his pockets burn. It was almost time. He remembers purposefully stopping at the most scenic point of the riverside before starting to talk. He had repeated those same words over and over again, practicing until Hank had told him how he already had high cholesterol but would soon suffer from diabetes as well if Nines didn’t stop repeating the same speech any sooner. Yet, now he was stuttering, his mind a sudden blank space. He remembers taking in a deep breath he didn’t really need in terms of functionality as humans did, he remembers asking the question and remembers — or swore his audio processor had glitched for a moment when a single “Yes” came from Gavin’s lips after kissing him_._

** _TIME BEFORE SHUTDOWN: - 00:01:20_ **

Then the harsh reality came back. In his last moments of lucidity, Nines could finally process his thoughts. He’d been crying, he noticed, but the tears on his face weren’t just his synthetic ones. Gavin, who had been holding him the whole time, was a mess and not only due to the various cuts on his face. The man was in absolute panic.

“Don’t worry, Nines. I called backup, they’re g-gonna be here soon,” his breathing was erratic, the stutter in his voice betraying his attempts to sound calm and collected “stay with me, okay? They’re going t-to fix you up, okay? Then we can go home, jus-just stay with me, you got it?”

** _TIME BEFORE SHUTDOWN: - 00:00:59_ **

“Ģ̷̛̞̠͔̪͈̱̼͕̏͊̊̌̀̊͌̈́̓͒͋̀͜a̸̧̤̺̰̤̣̪̩̗̥͋͗́͌͜͠.̴̡̫̱̘̃̔͆̓̿̈́̈́̾͌̌̒̐̂͘̕.̸̗͕͍͉͎̥̫̹̼̩̣̣̖̤͊.̵̩̹̹̹̰͝v̴̱̗̬͚͓̦̋̂̔̎̊̿̓̈́͜į̴̛̳͖̟̘̳̱͔̬̲̬͇̮̦̈́͛̿̒́̂͒̌̇̚n̸̛̘͒̃̄̃̀̑̽̾͒͗̅͒̏̊ͅ” Nines’ voice came out as a glitching static “I̴͎͑t̵̰̋͝'̵̡̢̑̆ș̴̋͐.̶̼̗̐̈́.̸̓ͅ.̷̯̓ ̷̠͔̊o̵̪͊͋k̷͓̺̐͊ă̷̡y̸͚̒͜.”

“No, you fucking reckless plastic asshole, it’s not okay! You’re dying, for fuck sake!” Gavin roared, his voice a mix of anger and despair “How is that okay, you selfish prick!?”

_“Ȉ̵̞t̶̝͋͗͘'̶̣̪͚̃͐s̴̩̣͑̈́ ̴̳͖̻͆͑ơ̵̢̦̘͐k̵̨̛͓̣ạ̴͇̹̊̄̊y̶͇̱̜̓̊,̴̲͊̊ ̸͈̉̊̊'̴̛̘̭͍̊͆c̵̛͈͗͒a̵̢̝͒u̵̯͔͋̾.̵̘̘̩̀̓.̴͙͐͆.̶̟̼̓s̵̻̻̲̈͠e̴̺̠̓͜ ̷͎̪̂̃͂i̸̢̎t̴̖̱̓̎ ̵̤̾p̸̪̘̩̚r̸̢̛̽̎ǫ̷̃̈́̒v̵̦͈̚e̷̬̠̼̽ș̸̨̬͂͠ ̵̡̧̗́͊t̵͕̞̼͗̔̚h̸̜̳̪̅̃͘ą̴̛̬̼t̷̻̅.̴̱̼̐̎̾.̷͈̞͙͛͑̈.̸̝̼̚.̸̲͎̟̌̇ ̵̧̨̕I̴̘͂̔ ̶̄͌ͅw̸̱̖̽̎a̵͖̦̻̐s̵̢͓̈ ̶̞͒a̶̤͆̓̕l̴̥͚̀ï̵̧̡̥̉v̴͖̖̺̈́͝ę̸̦̜̽͑́ ̵͍́ͅi̵͈̎ņ̷̑̊ ̵̳͚̐̊t̴̼́̈́.̷̲̉̈.̴̬̓̍ḫ̴̟́̌̇e̴̞̼͗͘͝ ̵̣̟̌f̶̗̘̼̿i̴̱̋͆r̸̻̓ͅs̵̭͑t̴̮̹͋͌̅ ̸̗̞̄p̵̨͚̆͠ľ̵͍ä̸̬͙͛͑.̶̨̒̈́͒.̶͔͠.̴̢̥͒͋̏ċ̶̟̭e̵̛͕̪̱͆” _

Nines tried to smile, but it only came out as a grimace.

_TIME BEFORE SHUTDOWN: - 00:00:30_

_“_No. No no no, don’t you dare Nines,” Gavin’s voice broke, his face morphing into a sorrowful grimace as the tears he’d been holding back started rolling down his scratched cheeks. The stinging pain he felt from there was nothing compared to what he was feeling inside “you’re gonna live, you hear me?” Another sob.

“I̵̜̒ţ̷̈́'̴͉̏s̷̱͆ ̶̤́g̸̻̈́o̵̤͒n̵͎̂n̷̪͒a̴̡͐ ̵̠͛h̸͓̋u̴̝͠r̴̹̀t̶̮͝ ̸̹͝a̴͕͊t̸̨̿ ̴̺͛f̷̱͆i̴̡͛ṟ̵̑ś̵̜t̵̝͛,̸̱͑ ̴̠̚b̵͎͑ṳ̶̂ẗ̴̺́.̴̻͘.̴̖̍.̴̫̅.̴̳͠.̴͚́ÿ̷̼́o̶̬͑u̶̘̽'̵͍͊ḽ̵̈́l̴͙͋ ̵͎̈́b̵͚̅e̵̘͆ ̵̮͌ǫ̶̽k̴͕̎a̷͜͠y̵͔͝ ̶͙́ả̵̯.̸̪͌.̵̲̽.̷̨͠g̶͉̎a̷̤͑i̵̥͋n̵̾͜.” Nines tried to reach up for Gavin’s face but his arm was too damaged. Luckily Gavin caught on what he was trying to do so he grabbed his hand and rested it on his cheek.

** _CONNECTION ESTABLISHED_ **

** _TO: RK800 #313 248 317-51 (CONNOR)_ **

** _FROM: RK900 #313 248 317-87 (NINES)_ **

** _“I’M PROUD TO CALL YOU MY BROTHER, PLEASE TAKE CARE OF GAVIN AND HANK FOR ME TOO._ **

** _I LOVE YOU”_ **

** _SEND? (Y/N)_ **

** _(Y)_ **

** _MESSAGE SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERED_ **

** _TIME BEFORE SHUTDOWN: - 00:00:15_ **

_“"̶̯͆I̴̢͠.̷̝̾.̸̡͒.̸̫́ ̴̜͐l̵͔̕o̷̦͛v̷̜̊e̷̺̍ ̶̥͝ ̷͔̓ ̵͚̓y̶͎͠o̶̬͑ư̵̪,̵̮́ ̵͕̀G̷͜͝ä̶̙́v̷̙̄ï̴̬n̵̩͊.̵͔͒ ̵̲̄I̵̥͆ ̴̦̀ẘ̸͎i̶̯̾l̴̟̒ḻ̶̈́ ̵̹͝ ̴̥̀ ̶̝̈́á̷̝l̶̜̕ẃ̸̖a̷͈̍y̷̟͆s̶̞̔ ̷̢̔ ̸̛̪l̶̥̀o̵̦͝ ̷̜̇ ̶͙̎v̶̰̉ë̵̤.̵̹̏.̷̢̋.̷̻̇.̵̝̈́ ̸̳́y̴̝͠o̴̬͝ū̴̺.̵͓̆” _

He had managed to say right before his voice modulator went off forever.

Somewhere in the distance, the sound of screeching tires halting and sirens blaring from various emergency cars reached them. A pair of rushed footsteps and Connor’s panicked voice going from behind them “Gavin! Nines! My brother, where is my brother?!”

** _TIME BEFORE SHUTDOWN: - 00:00:07_ **

** _SHUTDOWN IMMINENT_ **

“I will always love you too, Nines.” Gavin choked on his own words, tears running down his face without any sign to stop any sooner.

Nines was ready, he had said his goodbyes. He closed his eyes as the last bit of lucidity in him started to fade away, soft lips pressed on his. Gavin’s lips.

** _SHUTDOWN IMMINENT: - 00:00:03_ **

** _SHUTDOWN IMMINENT: -00:00:02_ **

_“_I’ll love you until the end of my days” was the last thing he heard.

** _SHUTDOWN IMMINENT: -00:00:01_ **

** _SHUTDOWN IMMINENT: 00:00:00_ **


End file.
